bentham + kant Flashcards
What does Kant use?
Uses reason to determine what’s right
What did Kant want to do?
Make religion something that was based on reason + not faith
What does Bentham insist?
Ppl are motivated to seek pleasure + avoid pain
What leads to the principle of utility (Bentham)?
Pursue pleasure + avoid pain
What’s the principle of utility?
Principle that actions are to be judged by their usefulness
What is reason according to Kant?
Reason = universal in everyone who has it but not everyone has same faith
Kant believed that if ethics is based in reason, a more harmonious society would follow
What did Kant think humanity was ready for?
Greater autonomy to figure out + follow moral laws themselves through reason
What does categorical mean?
Absolute
What did Kant believe morality was?
Categorical, not hypothetical
Not dependant on personal feelings
What is Kantian ethics? What does this mean?
Deontological - ‘duty based’
What did Kant believe about moral duty?
It’s not God imposed, its secular
Why does Kant say we should do good?
We should do good bc thats part of what it means to be a rational human
What does Kant say distinguishes humans from animals?
Our capacity for rational thought
Appeal to reason makes it an universal ethic
What does Kant say about good will?
Its the only thing that unconditionally, universally + intrinsically good
What can’t measure goodness according to Kant?
Consequences bc they’re uncertain
What does Kant say good will is about?
Having the right motive + duty provides it
Duty for duty’s sake means obeying a moral principle out of duty
What’s the hypothetical imperative?
Related to self interest + consequences
What is the particular moral principle Kant says should be done out of duty?
Categorical imperative
What are the 3 formulations to Kant’s Categorical Imperative?
- Universalisability
- Never treat ppl as a mean to an end but an end in themselves
- Act as if you’re making laws for a kingdom that treated ppl as ends in themselves
What is summum bonum (Kant)?
Highest good where virtue meets its reward for happiness
What should humans strive?
Be worthy of happiness
What does Kant say about immortality?
Since the reward for perf. happiness for virtue can’t be achieved in this world, there must be immortality
What does Kant say about God?
Only God can provide immortality so he exists to guarantee summum bonum
What does Kant say about free will?
We can’t prove free will but it’s a necessary assumption bc free will’s at the heart of morality
What are 3 strengths of Kant’s categorical imperative?
- Simple + effective
- All actions should be good
- Cuts emotion from reason
What are the challenges to the 3 strengths of Kant’s categorical imperative?
- Kants idea of moral rules isn’t true for todays world
- Surely if consequences are good then the act in achieving it is good (killing someone to save many)
- Unrealistic bc emotions are an integral part of what it is to be human
What does Bentham say ppl are motivated by?
Desire to achieve happiness
Seek pleasure; avoid pain
What’s the principle of utility acc to Bentham?
Actions are right if they promote pleasure AND
Wrong if they produce pain
What does Bentham believe about happiness?
Everyone has a right to happiness, regardless of status or life situation
What mattered to Bentham?
Sentience; not intellectual capacity, race or even being human
What is the sole good + what is everything else acc to Bentham?
Happiness is sole intrinsic good
Everything else is at best instrumentally good
What does instrumentally good mean?
Quality that might/might not have value
What did Bentham say needed to be considered in moral decisions?
Each situation needs to be considered
What was Bentham’s approach to happiness?
In terms of quality
What did Bentham devise? Why?
Hedonic calculus; to estimate overall rightness/wrongness of an action
What are the 7 criteria to the hedonic calculus?
Intensity, duration, propinquity, fecundity, purity, extent, certainty
What are 4 challenges to Bentham’s util?
- Too much emphasis on consequences we can’t be certain of
- Motive + rules are seen as being of no importance
- Potential interests of minorities to be ignored
- Commits the naturalistic fallacy
What’s the example given in Kantian ethics to show acting on emotion rather duty?
Someone is begging on the street; a friend cries, fumbles in his pocket + gives the beggar money
NO MORAL WORTH bc friend is acting on emotion not duty
What is Kant not saying?
Not saying that to act morally we have to get rid of sympathy, empathy, desires, love etc
What is Bentham’s view thats in line w Christian thinking: regarding motivation? What is Jesus’ view that links to this?
His attempt at social reform is motivated by compassion + stresses equality for all
Jesus said ppl would be judged based on resp. to those in need
What is Bentham’s view thats in line w Christian thinking: regarding his concern? What is Jesus’ view that links to this?
B was concerned w what led to greatest good for greatest number
Rules had to be set aside
J sometimes acted situationally (healed on Sabbath; day of rest)
What is Bentham’s view thats in line w Christian thinking: regarding self interest? What is Jesus’ view that links to this?
Self interest is inevitable as a part of human nature
‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’ - J rec. self love
What is a view from Bentham that shows lack of accordance w Christian thinking?
B says self interest is inevitable
Christianity teaches selflessness
